from the liner notes supplied within 'buddah-bar': "Situated just next to one of the most beautiful sites in Paris, the Place de la Concorde, is a very special place unmarked by the passage of time. This exceptional and even mythical spot is the Buddha Bar. The space was inaugurated in 1996 by Raymond Visan and Thierry Begue, and is named after the enormour Buddha, a replica of the Musee Guimet Buddha, commisioned for the site. A very special atmosphere dominates this unique location.